Topics

In a long offseason of questioning, the one surrounding the future of Sens captain Jason Spezza certainly seems to dominate the water cooler talk.

In a weekend poll on ottawasun.com -- one that generated more than 3,000 responses -- fans were divided over whether management should offer the 30-year-old centre a contract extension, or whether they should extend their hands for a farewell shake.

But while the chorus of naysayers seems to grow with every tick in the minus column -- Spezza finished a dismal minus-26 and often shouldered the blame for the team's defensive woes -- an equally vocal group is now stepping to the captain's defence.

"Spezza may not be Mr. Perfect in every facet of the game, but first-line centres don't grow on trees," said superfan David Kerr, 25. "But it seems like he's been the whipping boy since the day he arrived, and everyone just attacks him when things go bad."

Fans like Kerr are sick of the negativity, with a group dubbed the Red Scarf Union planning a rally on Parliament Hill -- tentatively scheduled for May 17 -- to show Spezza some love.

That might be a welcome change for Spezza, who hears it from the haters on a regular basis, recently telling the Sun he's "not naïve to the (trade) talk."

His most ardent supporters argue it's a slippery slope once the fanbase starts running star players out of town.

Martin Chornell has been a fan since day one, and in that time he's seen a lot of whipping boys come -- and go.

"He's been a lightning rod since the day he became and Ottawa Senator, and there's lovers and haters and I don't think anybody has ever switched camps," said Chornell. "You saw that with guys like (Wade) Redden, (Radek) Bonk and (Alexei) Yashin. You even saw that with (Daniel) Alfredsson. There was a good five years or so where there was a lot of Alfie-bashing going on here."

Fans are quick to forget that time, when the former captain endured all sorts of questioning as the face of a talented team that too often fell painfully short when it counted most.

Fans in other hockey hotbeds might well recall a time when the same was being said about players like Steve Yzerman -- until he brought Stanley Cup glory back to Detroit.

But just as Red Wings fans were in the '90s, and just as some Sens fans are now, there was a time when, as Kerr said, fans were "ready to run Alfie out of town."

"Then 2007 comes along and he puts the team on his back and we go on the Stanley Cup run, and all of a sudden Alfie becomes a god. Now, Spezza has to fill those shoes."

Jordan Mady takes a pragmatic view when faced with the prospect of parting ways with Spezza.

"If we're going to send him somewhere, then the return has to be good, otherwise we're just extending the rebuilding process that much further. Will it make the team a contender within two or three years? Because that's what we were promised (during the rebuild of 2011.) And if not, then that (responsibility) has to fall on management."

aedan.helmer@sunmedia.ca

@OttSunHelmer

TWEETS ABOUT SPEZZA

﻿@JayNMaps -- We gave Alfie more than a year with the C. This team owes him that much. Plus, he goes, so does Hemsky.

@tmade11 -- Spezza is a great player and will provide what you need. Blaming him for the defence and goalie errors is disgusting.

@ChalkNorris613 -- Stay, how/who do you replace him with? Not every player needs 2 b awesome defensively. Great pass, shot, big body.

Ottawa Senators fans rally to save Spezza

In a long offseason of questioning, the one surrounding the future of Sens captain Jason Spezza certainly seems to dominate the water cooler talk.

In a weekend poll on ottawasun.com -- one that generated more than 3,000 responses -- fans were divided over whether management should offer the 30-year-old centre a contract extension, or whether they should extend their hands for a farewell shake.

But while the chorus of naysayers seems to grow with every tick in the minus column -- Spezza finished a dismal minus-26 and often shouldered the blame for the team's defensive woes -- an equally vocal group is now stepping to the captain's defence.